• • 20
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  • May 2014

Category - Horses to follow

RACING NOTEBOOK Based on races viewed, Spy's list of horses worthy of serious consideration next time: December 20th: Ascot Results It didn't take Nicky Henderson long to get on the score sheet. Back in action after a pottery round of chasing at Kempton, Royal Boy, third in the Tolworth in January, cruised to victory in the Class 3 over 2m 6f from stable mate Big Hands Harry and Pleasant Company. Responsible for the first two and the fourth, the Henderson stable is currently flying. Irving is gradually working his way up the novice ladder. Useful in Germany, he took the Grade 2 but it would have been tight had not Prince Siegfried crashed[...]

• • 25
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  • Apr 2014

Category - Horses to follow

April 25th: Sandown Results A cracking card was compromised to a degree by persistent rain. It opened with the Class 2 Esher Cup, for which impressive Nottingham winner Sacred Act – recently supplemented for the St James’s Palace Stakes – was the market pick. Holes could be picked in the race he won last time (both his main rivals having pulled too hard and failing to finish), but by all accounts the winning debutant had barely been asked a question at home beforehand. In this elevated company it has to be said he was never a factor. What About Carlo, last seen when three lengths fourth of five in[...]

• • 29
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  • Mar 2014

Category - Horses to follow

March 29th Meydan Results As one season started with Doncaster and Kempton, World Cup night signified the end of another in Dubai. Variety Club made up for his blip last time, returning to winning ways in the Godolphin Mile. Able to get across from an outside draw, he made all. He and runner-up, last year’s winner Soft Falling Rain, were the first two throughout. We know a bit about Soft Falling Rain; Variety Club is out of a similar mould. Flotilla flew late to grab third, just ahead of Gold City and the useful Japanese horse Brightline, who, posted wide, was prominent throughout only to tire in the last[...]

• • 28
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  • Feb 2014

Category - Horses to follow

February 22nd: Kempton Results A good jumping card here got down to serious business with the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle. Second to Calipto at Newbury, Activial, a good-sized juvenile, jumped well and moved strongly throughout. He won with a little in hand and is likely to renew rivalry with Calipto in the Triumph. Blinkered for the first time, Commissioned came with a chance at the last but veered left and right on the run-in. He was held anyway and his jumping was not slick enough to suggest he can go up a grade. The two French imports now with Paul Nicholls, Solar Impulse and Alcala, were next to finish.[...]

• • 21
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  • Jan 2014

Category - Horses to follow

January 18th: Haydock: Benvolio continued his upward chasing curve and Taquin Du Seuil seemed more at home over the extended trip of 2m 5f (not totally convincing at his fences) when accounting for two pedestrian rivals and O’Faolains Boy (disappointing after Ascot promise), who was never travelling and pulled-up. The £450,000 purchase from France, Un Temps Pour Tout ran okay in the Grade 2 novice hurdle without underlining his worth. Okay sums him up at present. He looked okay, jumped okay, ran okay, but as Clint Eastwood famously said in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: That’s a lot of money: we’re gonna’ have to earn it. Un[...]

• • 30
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  • Dec 2013

Category - Horses to follow

RACING NOTEBOOK Based on races viewed, Spy's list of horses worthy of serious consideration next time: Saturday December 28th: Newbury Results In the juvenile hurdle, a strong-travelling Baradari showed he had learned plenty from an undistinguished debut here when twenty-eight lengths behind Calipto at the end of November. The form from that race is already looking strong; this well-bred French import was beaten too far to directly boost it, but on this evidence could be half-decent. This time Baradari loomed in the straight and only had to be pushed out to score from moderate opponents. The penalised Cadoudoff did his best under a 10lbs penalty in second. Hurdling debutant[...]

• • 30
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  • Nov 2013

Category - Horses to follow

Breeders’ Cup Result Santa Anita Racing Results Review Suddenly, with the long shadows of winter looming, British two-year-old form was given a major shot in the arm by the victories of Outstrip and Chriselliam in their respective championship events on Friday. Perfectly delivered by Mike Smith, Outstrip pounced on Giovanni Boldini late to claim the colt’s event, with Bobby’s Kitten for the USA back in third. Outstrip’s win pays a handsome compliment to his Dewhurst conqueror, War Command and also to Toormore – who beat him at Goodwood. In fact, as well as bolstering War Command, the run of the first two emphasises the strength of Toormore’s form as[...]

• • 21
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  • Nov 2013

Category - Free Tips

Sunday November 17th: Cheltenham Results The Grade 2 Supreme Novices’ trial attracted only a field of four. Sea Lord, on a six-timer beforehand, faced his stiffest task, especially giving 3lbs to The Liquidator – his nearest rival in the betting. The story of Sea Lord is simply told. Once again, as we saw with Standing Ovation on the first day, it is no good expecting horses to act like machines. Sea Lord is willing but conditions – not necessarily against him – were not ideal. In this company you do not get away with nearly-but-not-quite. As a horse that wants better ground, this was always a risky assignment. The[...]

• • 22
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  • Oct 2013

Category - Horses to follow

[vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_column_text] Saturday October 26th:   Newbury Racing Results Review The two divisions of the maiden for fillies over a mile were equally hard for race readers and participants alike. Heavy overnight rain meant the ground was as soft as it could get. The first division was dominated by two unraced fillies - Wylye, by Dalakhani, outstaying Dogaressa, who is by Mastercraftsman. According to Andrew Balding, the winner has been busy since June, which he thought was a decisive factor. Lady Tyne was a wide margin winner of the second. After only a fair run on debut and with possibly only average fillies behind her here, it would be[...]

• • 22
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  • Sep 2013

Category - Horses to follow

[vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_column_text] HORSES TO FOLLOW AS OF SEPTEMBER 28TH: At this late stage of the season we are running out of candidates, although we continue to highlight several possibilities for the coming weeks. Three from our original list ran this week: Sweet Deal-----------1st 7/1 to 4/1 Yuften-------------------3rd 5/4 Ehtifaal----------------- Lost Overall record is a PROFIT------------6.6 Points. With the removal of the above, this only leaves Hillstar to run and it could be we will have to wait until next year for that. Maintaining this feature is time-consuming, but so far it has been rewarding, meaning we will be maintaining it to the end of the current Flat season and[...]